AwardWallet may receive compensation from advertising partners when you visit our site, click on a link, when you are approved for a credit card, or when an account is opened. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here’s our complete list of Advertisers.
Offers for the
The American Express® Gold Card is known for its earning potential at grocery stores. However, the
Which card is best for your grocery spending? Let's take a close look at these two top choices for grocery cards.
Grocery Rewards: Earning Rates and Limits
The Amex Gold Card earns 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X). It's long been one of the best cards for groceries — hands down.
On the other hand, the Capital One Savor Cash card earns 3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services. But you can turn your cash back into valuable Capital One miles if you also carry a miles-earning card, such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
What makes the Capital One Savor Cash stand out is that there is no limit to the rewards you can earn on groceries or any other category of purchases. Your rewards are unlimited. Plus, the Amex Gold earns bonus points on purchases at U.S. supermarkets, while the Capital One Savor Cash earns bonus points on purchases at supermarkets worldwide. If you frequently travel abroad, that can be a meaningful distinction.
$325
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on cruises booked and paid through amextravel.com
- 1X on other eligible purchases
$0
- 8% cash back on purchases made via the Capital One Entertainment ticketing platform
- 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 3% cash back on dining and entertainment
- 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- 3% on popular streaming services
- 1% on all other purchases
Related: Complete Guide to
Annual Fees and Key Details
The Amex Gold and the Capital One Savor Cash also feature different annual fees, benefits, and unique earning rates. Moreover, their welcome bonuses aren't in the same ballpark. Here's a breakdown of each card's key details.
Amex Gold
- Welcome offer: As a new applicant for the card, you can earn as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months (apply and find out your offer, welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer).
- Key benefits: Get up to $120 per year in Uber Cash ($10 per month), an $84 Dunkin' credit ($7 per month), a $100 Resy credit ($50 semi-annually), a $120 dining credit ($10 per month), and more. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
- Annual fee: $325
The Amex Gold is one of the best ways to earn
Beyond groceries, you'll find plenty of ways to rack up Membership Rewards points. If you prefer points you can transfer to numerous partners, putting your groceries and other purchases on the Amex Gold is a strong option.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay.
- $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide.§ *Eligible charges vary by property.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind - backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on cruises booked and paid through amextravel.com
- 1X on other eligible purchases
Amex Disclosure: To receive the Uber Cash benefit, you must add American Express Platinum Card® to your account in the Uber app. Please see full terms for more details.
Capital One Savor Cash
- Welcome offer: As a new applicant for the card, you can earn $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
- Key benefits: Access the Capital One Travel portal and utilize a 24/7 travel concierge, security alerts, $0 fraud liability, and more.
- Annual fee: $0.
Like the Amex Gold, the Capital One Savor Cash has several other bonus categories in addition to groceries. You can earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. This is a great list for a card with no annual fee.
The Capital One Savor Cash is a cash back card, but you can convert your rewards into Capital One miles by pairing it with an eligible card, unlocking access to Capital One's transfer partners.
However, this can be tricky if you don't already have a miles-earning card, since you'd have to deal with Capital One's approval limitations of one card every six months. If you want to earn miles with the Capital One Savor Cash, it will require more planning than the Amex Gold.
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months; 18.74% - 28.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- Top rated mobile app
- 8% cash back on purchases made via the Capital One Entertainment ticketing platform
- 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 3% cash back on dining and entertainment
- 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- 3% on popular streaming services
- 1% on all other purchases
Which Card Is Right for You?
Ultimately, the choice between the Amex Gold and the Capital One Savor Cash depends on several factors:
- How much will you spend on groceries each year? The Amex Gold earns an extra point per $1 spent at U.S. supermarkets. Is the much-higher $325 annual fee worth paying? If you spend more than $25,000 each year at U.S. supermarkets, you'll earn just 1X Amex points per $1 spent with the Amex Gold, which is something to consider.
- Which reward currency do you prefer to earn? Amex Membership Rewards points, cash back, or Capital One miles?
- Do you shop at supermarkets abroad? If so, you'll want a card like the Capital One Savor Cash that earns bonus points on these purchases.
- Will you take advantage of extra benefits? The Amex Gold offers several different statement credits each year. If you regularly eat out at Resy restaurants, grab coffee at Dunkin', and ride with Uber, the added benefits can help offset the higher annual fee.
Also, consider your spending in categories beyond groceries. The Amex Gold earns slightly more on grocery and restaurant purchases, while the Capital One Savor Cash also excels in entertainment and streaming services.
Final Thoughts
Both the Amex Gold and the Capital One Savor Cash are fantastic cards for grocery spending. While they differ in annual fees, benefits, and reward rates, you can't go wrong with either. There's also a case for keeping both cards in your wallet.
You could use your Amex Gold for your first $25,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants, and use your Capital One Savor Cash for groceries abroad and entertainment purchases. Then, you'll be able to maximize several different kinds of purchases each month.
$325
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on cruises booked and paid through amextravel.com
- 1X on other eligible purchases
$0
- 8% cash back on purchases made via the Capital One Entertainment ticketing platform
- 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 3% cash back on dining and entertainment
- 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- 3% on popular streaming services
- 1% on all other purchases
